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a, Football

Fantasy Football: Week 8 takeaways

by Josh Blatt on

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Few fantasy football owners escaped a devastating Week 8 unscathed, as stars such as Steve Smith Sr., Matt Forte, Le’Veon Bell, Keenan Allen, Brandon Marshall, and more were injured. However, with injury comes opportunity; a bevy of backups will now be thrust into the spotlight, making for some intriguing waiver wire additions. Let's turn our attention to some key takeaways from the Week 8 action :

Bye bye, Bell

Undoubtedly the worst injury to come out of Sunday’s bloodbath, Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell suffered a season-ending torn MCL against the Cincinnati Bengals. Further evaluation at the hospital confirmed the severity of the injury, which fortunately did not damage his ACL. Bell has been dominant since his Week 3 return, amassing 692 total yards and three touchdowns. Back up running back DeAngelo Williams is slated to assume the starting job and is the top waiver wire add after filling in admirably for Bell earlier in the season.

Duel in the dome

In a game that saw 13 offensive touchdowns, the New Orleans Saints edged the New York Giants 52-49, thanks to a 50-yard field goal in the final seconds. Brees, who lost his spot in the circle of fantasy elite this year, threw for a career-high 511 yards and a record-tying seven touchdowns. Eli Manning tossed for six touchdowns in the loss, three of which went to the superb wideout Odell Beckham Jr.. With a soft schedule remaining, Brees should be able to repay his fantasy football owners for his lacklustre past performances.

Austin’s powers

Following two highly underwhelming seasons, St. Louis Rams wideout Tavon Austin is finally making a name for himself in both the NFL and fantasy football. The West Virginia product went off for 119 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns in the Rams’ win over the 49ers. Austin has now had two multi-touchdown performances this year and has reached a career-high six scores. Proving to be a dual-threat player in the pass and run game, Austin is a viable fantasy starter going forward; however, the Ram’s volatile offence will make consistency difficult to achieve.

Saint Mark

Most fantasy football owners lost confidence in Saints running back Mark Ingram after three consecutive sub-1000 yard seasons, writing him off as a perennial bust. The Heisman Trophy winner then began to show signs of life last year, accumulating 1109 total yards and nine touchdowns. With half of the 2015 season now in the books, Ingram has rushed for 530 yards and five touchdowns and become a focal point in the passing game. A season ending injury for goal-line vulture and change-of-pace back Khiry Robinson will only lift Ingram’s fantasy ceiling further. He is a top-10 play at running back every week.

Carr-ying the team on his back

Torching the New York Jets for 333 yards and four touchdowns, Raiders signal-caller Derek Carr continues to impress in what has been a breakout season for the sophomore quarterback. Carr has five multi-touchdown games on the year and has led the Raiders to a 4-3 record. The Fresno State product has demonstrated confidence in the pocket and a nice touch on his passes. Finally it appears as though the oft-struggling Oakland Raiders have found their long-term answer at quarterback. Carr is a worthwhile fantasy starter in a plus matchup against the Steelers in Week 9.

a, Men's Varsity, Sports

Soccer: Redmen fizzle out in season finale

by Genevieve Citron on

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The McGill Redmen (3-9-1) fell 3-1 against the Montréal Carabins (8-3) on a cold, rainy Sunday at Molson Stadium. McGill, already disqualified from the post-season after their loss to Laval on Friday, nevertheless began the game with an ambitious effort to walk away with the victory.  

During the first half of the game, the Redmen kept constant pressure in the Carabins’ half; however, their continual shots on net were not easily let go by the Carabins’ goalie, Samuel Dufort, who found dynamic ways to keep the Redmen from scoring.

“We’re a young team so the progress has been consistent all year,” said Montréal’s Head Coach, Pat Raimondo. “Our goalkeeper’s been good, our rookie centre back has been good […] every game we’re getting a little bit better.”

Raimondo sat on McGill’s bench in from 1994-2000 as McGillès head coach. During his seven years at McGill, he led the Redmen to victory in four conference finals and helped them secure a national title in 1997.

Down by a goal going into the break, the Redmen came back onto the pitch with a burst of energy. Rushing up the field, Roberto Bonalumi, an exchange student from Italy, assisted the ball to Henri Ashe-Taylor. Ashe-Taylor, dribbling the ball up the left side of the turf, found the back of the net with a powerful strike to tie the game back up just six minutes into the half. Montreal rushed the McGill zone immediately after the goal and set up a chance to score when junior goalie Max Leblond stopped the ball dead in its tracks.

Despite McGill’s attempts at the start of the second half, Montréal came back strong in what remained of the second half. Continually rushing McGill’s defensive end. Their efforts paid off with two more goals; one in the 67th minute and the other in the 88th minute of the game. Their efforts defeated the Redmen, leaving the score 3-1 Montréal.

When reflecting on the season, Redmen Head Coach Marc Mounicot described a downward trend in the team’s performance.

“The second half was more difficult,” Mounicot explained “Finishing was a problem and we tried to address this at each practice.”

The season is over, but Mounicot and the Redmen are already facing some big changes for next year.

“Next season we are losing six players because of graduation,” said Mounicot  “We need to recruit a lot and change a lot of things including the roster.”

Sound Bite

“[There was] low emotion which is very odd [in] McGill-Montreal games, especially because I was on the McGill bench for seven seasons, so there is always a little bit of extra special meaning [in] these games.”- Raimondo on gameday emotions between McGill and Montreal

Moment of the game

Roberto Bonalumi’s assist to Henri Ashe-Taylor at the start of the second half demonstrated his quick reactions and good awareness.

Stat corner 

McGill lost three games on home turf in the past month.

a, McGill, News, PGSS, SSMU

Joint Senate-BoG meeting addresses making a smart campus for the 21st century

by Laura Hanrahan on

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Designing a smart campus for the 21st century was the topic of discussion at this year’s annual joint meeting of the McGill Senate and Board of Governors (BoG). The governing bodies gathered this past Tuesday to discuss ways in which McGill could adapt its facilities to suit the needs of both current and future students.

Principal Suzanne Fortier opened the meeting with a description of what it means to be a smart campus.

“I believe that a smart campus […] is not simply about having state-of-the-art digital structures,” Fortier said. “It is rather, about how we can reimagine what we do in all aspects of campus life and learning, and in research and administration, taking advantage of the state-or-the-art technologies that are available to us [….] Our goal is to be more efficient and […] do what we do better, and at the same time save money—that’s the sweet spot that we’d always like to reach.”

The meeting was structured  along three points of discussion: Community engagement, technology, and the physical campus related to face-to-face learning. Senate and BoG members were seated at one of 10 tables, with each table assigned one of the three topics during a discussion period.

 

Community engagement

Students’ Society of McGill University (SSMU) Vice-President (VP) University Affairs Chloe Rourke summarized her group’s findings on how to foster community engagement within McGill.

“The first [suggestion] was to open McGill up to the global community,” she said. “MOOCs and online learning would be an important tool to facilitate that, but also opening our physical campus to the Montreal community through ways like allowing information that is available on campus to be seen through a mobile device, or [having] open lectures.”

Rourke additionally emphasized a need to properly prepare students to contribute back to the community upon graduation.

“In order to allow students to succeed in this changing global environment, you need to provide a supportive environment [for students] to personally develop and grow while at McGill,” she said. “That’s everything from addressing mental health issues to finding opportunities for experiential learning.”

 

Physical campus and face-to-face learning

Post-Graduate Students’ Society of McGill (PGSS) President Danielle Toccalino suggested the adaptation of McGill classrooms into a more blended and fluid space—a concept that has not traditionally been implemented in the past.

“[This includes] using [classes] as a way to collaborate with peer-based learning and teaching, and taking the actual content of the class to more of an online setting, so you learn outside of the classroom and then come and discuss, collaborate and extend your learning in more social setting,” she said.

Toccalino additionally outlined a need to increase social spaces for students in campus.

“[We should increase] the amount of space that we have on campus where people can come to collect to diffuse after a day in lab or at school and where there’s the opportunity to spark collaboration,” she said.

 

Technology

SSMU Education Senator Parvesh Chainani highlighted the importance of implementing technology in the classroom.

“Our teaching and learning practices should reflect what students do outside the sphere of the classroom,” he said. “When we go outside we are always on our phones, […] so why not apply that mode of communication into the classroom? Why not use text messages as a medium for students to participate in class?”

Chainani then brought forward an idea to create virtual labs in place of physical ones.

“There isn't much funding to create more laboratories, so why not [have] several universities comes together, pool resources, and create a virtual lab,” Chainani said. “It could be used in the classroom as well because these days in the science classroom, […] your professors teach theory, and they don’t teach how the theory is derived. With a visual medium the students would be able to gain the practical data and apply that to the theory that they learn.”

a, McGill, News

Divest McGill meets with BoG to discuss investment freeze

by Nick Milium on

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On Oct. 22, Divest McGill met with the Committee to Advise on Matters of Social Responsibility (CAMSR), a sub-comittee of the Board of Governors (BOG), to discuss the future of McGill’s assets invested in fossil fuel-related industries. In their presentation, Divest McGill proposed to the committee a freeze on any future fossil fuel investments.

Joey Broda,  U4 Engineering anda  long-time member of Divest McGill, is committed to ensuring that Divest’s message is heard by the McGill administration.

“This was the third meeting we’ve had [between Divest and CAMSR] but this meeting was specifically to talk about the idea of a freeze,” Broda said. “That would require getting CAMSR to recommend to the Board of Governors that they discontinue future investments in fossil fuels until they’ve examined social harm that might be caused by fossil fuel investment. The idea being that […] if there is social harm involved with fossil fuel development, then they shouldn’t be expanding that harm until they’ve made the decision yes or no.”

Divest McGill presented their plan during an open portion of the CAMSR meeting, which was followed by a closed session in which the committee decided not to vote on immediately freezing future fossil fuel investments. Jed Lenetsky, U1 Environment, was disappointed by the outcome of the meeting.

“I was really impressed with how [the meeting] went,” Lenetsky said. “I thought we controlled the dialogue very well, and I thought we were able to pressure the administration fairly successfully, so it was a little disheartening after the meeting when we found out that, in the end, [the] good execution of our plan didn’t really come through.”

On the other hand Kip Cobbett, the chairman of the BoG felt the meeting was a success. .

“The meeting was very useful,” Cobbett said. “The Divest McGill people explained to us, in great detail, with a lot of supporting documentation, as to why they thought it was important for CAMSR to issue an immediate order freezing any further fossil fuel investments. The committee is now considering what decision we should render on the request for us to issue an immediate freeze.”

There has yet to be a full meeting for CAMSR to properly analyze the information presented by Divest McGill, and so the issue of freezing future assets is  on the agenda for the next meeting on Nov. 11; however, that still leaves the overarching issue of total divestment unanswered, something that both parties hope to answer quickly.

“I am hopeful, I’m not going to say that I have an expectation, but I’m very, very hopeful that we will have a decision [on divestment] in the first quarter of next year,” Cobbett explained.

According to Broda, this deadline is due to outside pressure from alumni and donors of the university.

“There is a group of alumni that are going to return their diplomas if McGill hasn’t divested [by March 30],” Broda said. “There is also a campaign that is growing rather fast, to hold donations until [McGill divests], which is something that the university is really responding to.”

Between now and then, the CAMSR committee, once it has finished its deliberations, will make a recommendation as to the course of action to the Board of Governors. That recommendation will then either be accepted or rejected.

“It has been a very thorough process, we’ve had a lot of very good information provided to us by the divest people, and we’re working away at it,” said Cobbett.

Spike Jonze
a, Arts & Entertainment, Music

Deep Cuts: Spike Jonze music videos

by Eric Noble-Marks on

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Most people today tend to know Spike Jonze as the director of critically-acclaimed films such as Being John Malkovitch, Where the Wild Things Are, and Her; however, before his foray into feature films, Jonze was one of the most sought after music video directors of the ‘90s, working with everyone from the Beastie Boys to Bjork. With this in mind, here’s a look back to some of his greatest videos.

Weezer – “Buddy Holly” (1994)

In 1994, grunge’s old guard was beginning to self-destruct. Kurt Cobain’s suicide had shook the music world to its very foundations, Pearl Jam was at war with Ticketmaster, and Alice and Chains were beginning to fade from the limelight. Then along came this funny little band from Los Angeles called Weezer. Instead of the sludgy guitars and sludgier vocals prevalent in grunge, Weezer opted for cute power pop hooks and delightfully cheesy lyrics. Nothing captures the early Weezer aesthetic like the video for “Buddy Holly,” which places the band among their spiritual—if not literal—predecessors, the cast of Happy Days. Milking wholesome ‘50s nostalgia for all it’s worth, the video taps into a sense of innocence that was hard to come by in ’94. Plus those Fonz dance moves are the best.

Beastie Boys – “Sabotage” (2009)

Similarly to “Buddy Holly,” Jonze makes adept use of nostalgia in the video for “Sabotage.” This time he takes aim at ’70s buddy cop procedurals to create a hilarious satire. Mike D, MCA, and Ad-Rock portray moustachioed caricatures of cops who chase perps through seedy motels, engage in knife fights and roll around town in vintage American muscle cars. You can practically see the creators of Reno 911! and Super Troopers taking notes.

LCD Soundsystem – “Drunk Girls” (2010)

Though Jonze has focused largely on feature films in the last decade, he still makes the odd music video every once in awhile, and if “Drunk Girls” is any example, he’s still got it. The video consists of one continuous shot of band members James Murphy, Nancy Whang, and Pat Mahoney being harassed by men in panda masks. The pandas get more and more violent as the video goes on, coating the band in raw eggs, glitter, and lipstick, before shaking their microphones while they try to perform. By the end of the video, the band are duct taped together on the floor while the panda party descends into complete anarchy. It’s surreal, delirious, debauched fun. Don’t act like you wouldn’t want to be one of the pandas.

Daft Punk – “Da Funk” (2009)

Poor Charles. “Da Funk” depicts the loneliness of life in the big city better than any other music video: An impressive feat considering its protagonist is an anthropomorphic dog. As Charles the dog limps around New York accompanied only by his boombox, it’s easy to feel sorry for him. He’s berated by local kids for his broken leg and misses a connection with a friend due to a “no radio” policy on the bus. Ironically, there’s something so human about Charles despite, well, him being a dog. The video highlights the difficulty of achieving human connection in the bustling urban jungle.

Fatboy Slim – “Weapon of Choice” (2010)

Sometimes the best music video ideas are the simplest. Christopher Walken, alone in a hotel, begins to dance. That’s it. He just dances. Oh wait, he also starts flying at some point. Walken—who trained as a dancer for musical theatre prior to becoming a film star and contributed to the choreography—absolutely crushes it. There are so many great moments: The little kick spin move he does at 0:48; the step back bell ring at 1:04; and the elevator routine beginning at 2:36, are some personal favourites. It’s effortless, playful fun—just like the best dance music should be.

a, Opinion

Commentary: Corporate interests infringing on editorial integrity in newspaper endorsements

by Norman Yallen on

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Journalism depends on freedom of expression. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms protects “freedom of thought, belief, opinion, and expression, including freedom of the press and other media of communication.” This means that the government will protect the right of the media to say what they believe. Although the government is supposed to protect these fundamental freedoms of Canadians, they are currently under threat by large corporations exerting their influence within the media. Postmedia CEO Paul Godfrey, whose company that owns over a dozen newspapers across Canada, made the decision that all Postmedia newspapers would run editorial endorsements for Stephen Harper in the 2015 federal election. If the editorial boards of some of Canada’s biggest newspapers cannot defy corporate control and express their own opinions, then readers and writers should view editorials with skepticism.

A newspaper’s editorial board produces editorials. Discussion and debate is intended to result in an editorial that presents an honest and united opinion on an issue. Paula Simon, a columnist from the Edmonton Journal said that the editorial decision to endorse Harper came directly from Godfrey. This means readers have to doubt whether endorsements represent honest editorial opinions for the National Post or for any of Postmedia’s newspapers. These include the Montreal Gazette, Vancouver Sun, Edmonton Journal, and the Ottawa Citizen, all of which endorsed Harper.

These endorsements were all presented as the honestly formed opinions of the editorial boards, but the company’s actions demonstrate that these editorial boards did not have the chance to form their own opinions. Andrew Coyne was the head of the editorial board for Postmedia’s flagship national paper, the National Post, and was acutely affected by the executive decision to publish the endorsement of Stephen Harper. Coyne reluctantly agreed to sign off on an editorial endorsing Harper, but wrote a dissenting column that the publisher refused to publish. Coyne had the clout to resign as editor and continue his career, but a less-established journalist may not have had that option. Coyne will continue as a columnist but this incident demonstrates how little power he had over the editorial voice of the newspaper; he felt his only option to express himself was to resign as editor. Removing the editorial board’s autonomy to form opinions entirely defeats the purpose of editorials by stifling the voice of the editorial board.

Millions of people in Canada consume newspapers, and a political endorsement can influence the perspective of many readers—they at least offer to challenge one’s political decisions. Effective journalism relies on an honest dialogue between writers and readers. Top-down endorsements diminish the space for discussion by reducing the variety of perspectives that are published.

Editorial boards in Canada should demand freedom. When newspapers are instead forced by their ownership to uphold the narrative those corporations establish, their worth to readers and writers alike is diminished. Coyne’s actions are a hopeful reminder that journalists can and do fight for their opinions to be heard, but the future of independent journalism in Canada depends on readers questioning what they read, and on writers demanding their right to free expression.

a, Martlets, Men's Varsity, Sports

Fall team previews: Redmen and Martlet Swimming

by Morgan Alexander on

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Redmen Swimming

The Redmen had a consistent 2014-2015 season, finishing 12th among men’s teams in the CIS Championships. Even more so than last year, the Redmen are relying on a predominantly rookie squad, with half of the swimmers being first years and only one senior swimmer, Loïc Chaubet, returning to the team. 17-year-old Kade Wist, the youngest swimmer in the RSEQ, has already brought home five gold and two silver medals for McGill after the first and second RSEQ University Cup meets. This influx of young swimmers hasn’t resulted in a rough learning curve for thus far for the Redmen. In fact, it may increase the team’s potential as the year goes on. If Wist and the remaining rookies can continue to improve on their solid start to the season, a top 10 finish at Nationals is not out of reach for the Redmen.

Martlet Swimming

Last season the Martlets finished eighth, just below their seventh place finish in the 2013-2014 season. Junior Simone Cseplo has taken over for senior Katie Caldwell as captain this year, and both members are poised to keep the team strong in the upcoming season. Already, Cseplo has qualified for National Championships and Caldwell, former RSEQ swimmer-of-the-year, has won one gold and three silver medals. Similar to the Redmen, the squad features many young swimmers and is already the second best team in the RSEQ. Look for the Martlets to knock on the door of the top five at the National Championships this year.

a, McGill, News, SSMU

SNAX may resume sandwich sales pending MoA negotiations with McGill

by Calvin Trottier-Chi on

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After a six month ban, students may once again be able purchase sandwiches from SNAX. Ongoing Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) negotiations between the McGill administration and the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS) concerning the future of the AUS student-run business, appear to be coming to a conclusion. These negotiations follow the McGill administration’s decision in Winter 2015 to ask SNAX to stop selling sandwiches, as McGill stated that the practice violated Appendix E of the current MoA, which barred the sale of “any kind of processed or prepared foods, such as sandwiches or any kind of hot food.” In response, SNAX management cited confusing wording within the MoA to defend their sale of sandwiches.

Topics of negotiation

According to AUS President Jacob Greenspon, the potential for the sale of sandwiches at SNAX still exists as he is confident negotiations will result in a mutually beneficial agreement.

“McGill has met us on most of our negotiating points, such as being able to sell sandwiches, pastries, and other products at prices we manage,” Greenspon said. “We believe these are the most important points to students, and thus they are the most important stipulations to us.”

Before sandwich sales may resume, proposed changes to the MoA must be agreed upon and signed by both parties.  AUS and the administration have already agreed on health and safety inspections, a new point of sale system, and the need for mechanisms to ease resolution of future disputes that potentially violate the MOA.

Price control stipulations have been removed from negotiations.  Greenspon offered three main reasons as to why the AUS was opposed to the idea.

“[We want low prices] to give students good products at good prices, but also because SNAX is part of the AUS, which [is] a registered non-profit corporation [… so] the mechanism McGill proposed for settling pricing disputes—basing the ‘fair market prices’ for SNAX products on an average of its competitors’ prices—is unworkable given that SNAX uses entirely different suppliers,” he said. “Finally, it was alleged that SNAX prices are low because SNAX avoids paying input costs such as for electricity and janitorial services, however, these costs are already paid by the AUS.”

Implications for SNAX and Student-Run Businesses

McGill has a long but tenuous history of student-run businesses, and many of the campus’ cafeterias and food outlets were run or owned by students until the early 2000s. Coinciding with this history is a repetition in negotiations similar to the one revolving around SNAX, with many cases concluding with McGill forcing closure of the operation. The most recent case was the shutdown of the Architecture Café in 2010, a move that led to over 300 students demonstrating outside of a McGill Senate meeting.

“Although many will say there’s nothing to be gained from picking at these old wounds, I think it’s important to recognize that student-run food businesses have not always been in the minority on campus—for most of McGill’s history, they were the norm,” Greenspon said.

Following the McGill administration’s initial prevention of sandwich sales, there was immediate backlash from both SNAX and the McGill student body. Currently, both Deputy Provost (Student Life and Learning) Ollivier Dyens and Greenspon emphasized the significant improvements in understanding between the parties.

“McGill has recognized the arguments behind most of our positions, and fortunately, has moved to cooperate on many issues, notably SNAX selling sandwiches,” Greenspon said. “We are not yet at an agreement but I believe we are closer than we have been in the past to signing the MOA and again selling sandwiches at SNAX.”

Dyens echoed Greenspon’s sentiments, describing the meetings as a pleasant experience.

“All the meetings we had with AUS were excellent,” Dyens said. “Both sides negotiated in good faith and very respectfully.”

Climate after latest round of negotiations

In ongoing negotiations regarding SNAX, Dyens believes that the outcome will be wholly supported.

“My office reached out to AUS this summer and told them, we were happy to discuss the SNAX related section of the MOA so that we could come to an agreement that would be positive for both sides,” Dyens said. “I have no doubt that both sides will be very happy with the outcome.”

According to Greenspon, precautions are being taken to support a satisfactory outcome – notably the intention to have the negotiated agreement expire in less than five years.

“There are some unfortunate claims of skepticism around the negotiating table and this more flexible timeline will allow for each side to prove its worth before we return to the model of a longer agreement,” Greenspon said.

Greenspon is hopeful for the future of SNAX, although he is unsure what implications the resolution will have for other similar businesses.

“It’s encouraging to see, in the case of SNAX, [that] McGill move away from restricting a student-run food business,” Greenspon said. “However there are several other student-run food businesses on campus, so it remains to be seen whether these recent SNAX negotiations represent an aberration in the pattern or a reversal of the trend.”

Full disclosure: Morgan Alexander is a managing editor for the Tribune as well as an employee at SNAX. She was not involved in the writing or editing of this article.

Spooky ghost
a, Arts & Entertainment, Books, Film and TV

Past vs. present: Jane Eyre vs. Crimson Peak

by Anna St. Clair on

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Warning: Spoilers

The mansion in Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak is a character in itself. It breathes, bleeds, and moans. It’s rotting and sickly, yet simultaneously vibrant and beautiful; it’s also an accomplice to the brutal murders that have plagued its inhabitants for decades. With an ancient manor, a mysterious suitor, and an innocent, yet cunning heroine, it’s clear to see why Crimson Peak has been called a revival of the 19th century gothic. While gothic tropes abound in Crimson Peak it is also thematically similar to the quintessential gothic novel, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre.

Crimson Peak begins in 1895 in Buffalo, New York, when aspiring novelist Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) meets the English aristocrat Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston). Sharpe is trying to get Edith’s father to invest in a clay-digging machine, and although he can’t gather the capital, he does win Edith’s heart. While her father disapproves of the match, he’s mysteriously murdered, leaving lonely Edith with no other choice but to marry Thomas.

Edith and Thomas move to his English manor, the collapsing Allerdale Hall. Soon after she arrives, skeletal, blood red spectres begin to haunt Edith, warning her of the dangers of the house. Colder than the ghosts themselves is Thomas’ aloof, but forceful sister Lucille, expertly played by Jessica Chastain.

Jane Eyre follows a strikingly similar plot. Jane is an orphan who is shipped off to a strict boarding school by a disdainful aunt. Upon graduating, Jane is hired by the eccentric Edward Rochester to be the governess for his ward. But whereas Thomas Sharpe is a master of the art of charm, Rochester is difficult to fall for. He’s objectively unattractive, and in a bizarre incident disguises himself as a fortune-telling gypsy woman in order to confront Jane. Yet after many late-night conversations, Jane and Rochester find themselves falling in love, and like Sharpe, Rochester inhabits an ancient and large manor that is hiding more than a few secrets within its rooms.

In both Crimson Peak and Jane Eyre, reality is more horrifying than the supernatural. For Jane, the discovery that Edward Rochester keeps his first wife chained in the attic after she has gone insane is far worse than the other-worldly projections of her active imagination. There is a logical explanation to the strange cries and sudden fires that happen at Thornfield Hall but the reality offers Jane little comfort. For Edith, ghosts are entirely real. She’s seen them since she was a child and upon moving to Allerdale Hall grotesque, malformed spectres visit her nightly. As disgusting as the ghosts may appear, they become Edith’s allies. Edith’s supernatural sight guides her in her investigation into the truth of Allerdale Hall and the Sharpe siblings. In Crimson Peak as in Jane Eyre, it’s not ghosts that haunt the manor—it’s the inhabitants.

The ancient manour homes oppress and trap each heroine in both Crimson Peak and Jane Eyre. Thornfield Hall and Allerdale Hall represent the lineage and traditions of the English aristocracy. In these homes, women must take on a traditional role and are expected to be subordinate to their husbands. Jane and Edith aren’t supposed to ask questions, and they’re certainly forbidden from looking into rooms that are off limits. Both Thornfield Hall and Alerdale Hall encapsulate Jane and Edith’s isolation, and the isolation of many women in the 19th century. These houses are all the young women have. They can’t go outside without permission and there are no other homes around for miles. When Jane and Edith try to escape, they are met with cold and snow. Both heroines face the ultimate choice: Do they leave their oppressive, dangerous home and risk dying in the cold, or stay and face the horror of their home and husband?

Guillermo Del Toro’s Crimson Peak sees the director returning to an aesthetic and thematic tradition pioneered in the 18th century. While Jane Eyre and Crimson Peak share themes and symbols, the two works diverge in stylistic choices. Crimson Peak is a major motion picture in 2015, abound with murder, violence, sex, and suspense. At almost 600 pages and a multitude of lengthy detailed descriptions, Jane Eyre can be a chore for the modern reader. With 168 years between the release dates of the two respective works, it’s no surprise that the conventions of popular entertainment have changed, yet the themes and messages of the two works successfully bridge the past and the present.

a, Science & Technology

McGill researchers expand possibilities for future cancer treatment

by Sihara Wickremasinghe on

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Researchers from McGill University, in cooperation with the University of Bristol, Washington University in St. Louis, and ITMO University, have revealed an important alternative metabolic pathway used by cancer cells. The study, published in the journal Molecular Cell on Oct. 15, outlined the process by which cancer cells attempt to propagate in an environment lacking their primary nutrition source, glucose. The mutated cells activate the enzyme PEPCK, which can break down the amino acid glutamine to fuel certain metabolic and biosynthetic pathways.

“That’s part of why cancer’s so difficult to treat,” said Emma Vincent, lead author of the study and a McGill University research associate. “When we take away glucose, the cancer cell adapts and it’s able to keep proliferating,” 

The team examined the presence of PEPCK in 30 lung tumour samples, and found that over half had elevated enzyme levels. According to Dr. Russell Jones, associate professor of physiology from the Goodman Cancer Research Centre at McGill, this means two things. 

“[First of all,] this may be an important pathway in cancer, so we have to do more research to test that and develop therapeutics,” explained Jones. “The second thing is that, now we have a biomarker. We have an actual protein that would predict how the tumour would behave and so you can use this as a screening tool.” 

Cancer occurs when the body’s cells begin growing and dividing at abnormally high rates. Cells that should die off due to mutations, which can be caused by a number of carcinogens such as radiation (UV), chemicals (tobacco), age, or injury, continue to replicate, sometimes forming tumours. Not all tumours are dangerous, however. A growth is only malignant when it spreads, or metastasizes in the body, otherwise it’s a benign tumour. 

“It’s this metabolic flexibility, the ability to use different fuel sources that keep the engine going,” Jones said. “There are benign tumours that continue to proliferate and grow, but they’re sort of within an enclosed region and truly malignant cells can actually leave and grow elsewhere.”

Despite the diversity, resistance, and versatility of cancer, the human body has processes in place to defend itself from tumour development. DNA recognition and repair mechanisms are one of these defence against mutations. Another is the immune system, which can also identify and eliminate early fledgling tumours. 

“The fact remains that the majority of people who develop cancer are older in age where you’ve had longer time to accumulate mutations that bypass the immune system,” Jones explained. “We have inherent mechanisms to keep everything in check. The challenge is when we have a cancer that is able to bypass all of those mechanisms. They’re the deadly ones.”

Currently, surgery to physically remove tumours, drug intervention, and radiation therapy are used to treat cancer; however, due to negative side effects of these types of treatments, researchers are constantly looking for new options. A study like this one points to the possibility of targeting enzymes like PEPCK, involved in cancer cell metabolism. 

“If you know how the tumour adapts and you can take that option away from it by targeting the adaptation strategies then you’re limiting its options,” Vincent explained. 

As new options for cancer prevention emerge, the chances for success with treatments increases.

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